Trust
by AzureEmpire
Summary: Rated M to be safe. Erza and Gray have a talk in the only place where Erza can her "bare" self. Fluffiness ensues.


I don't own Fair Tail. Mashima does.

...

"Be _gentle_ Gray!" winced Erza as Gray tugged at her hair so that he could scrub her neck and ears.

"_Relax_ woman, I'm just cleaning behind your ears. You worry about your front side. We wouldn't want any slip ups now."

"Whatever Gray, you've seen me enough times. I trust you."

"Yeah if I weren't an ice mage you would think differently. Trust _that_."

"What?"

'_I mean that my cold magic is the only thing keeping my erection down right now_.' Gray thought before he gulped, "never mind."

That's when Erza unexpectedly turned around and brought her soapy sponge to Gray's chest, slowly lathering his pectoral, right over his Fairy Tail insignia.

Gray had to sharply inhale as to keep his head clear. Even his magic would have to give way soon. This was a naked Erza... and she was really, _really_ close to him right now.

"What's wrong?" asked Erza as if their situation had the normalcy of two friends walking through a park.

"N-nothing at all," responded Gray, playing his stutter off with a half cough, "it's just that we... haven't showered together in... like three years so I'm a little self-conscious is all."

Erza raised her right eyebrow at Gray, "come on Gray, it's me here. No need to feel shy or anything. We're just conserving water," she explained as she started to spread the soap around Gray's chest with her hands, the sponge now discarded in the corner of the bathtub.

At that Gray returned the favour by spreading soap on Erza's collar bone while slowly massaging her neck and traps, "I know, but... last time Natsu was here too."

"Oh, would you feel more comfortable with-"

"_No._ Not in the least."

"Then why bring him up?" asked Erza, perplexed as she raised her arms indicating for Gray to wash along them, then at her pits and down her sides, which Gray did as their little past routine was coming back to him.

"I don't know... I just feel like there's more focus on me now. I-I mean I'm the only other person here and-"

"That should make you feel better, no?"

"Uh... I - it does."

"I mean there's a reason that you're the only one I've ever asked to do this. Natsu would always tag along because he was like our littlest brother."

"More like out littlest _child_. He'd never fucking sit still. And _I_ always had to scrub him!"

"Well you had to scrub the _both_ of us."

"I know. No compensation either!"

"_Excuse me?_ Mr. Fullbuster I hope you remember that it is_ I_ who scrubbed _you _as I am doing now, not Natsu. I'll have you know that you're the only person in the _world_ who's ever gotten personally cleaned by me. Even Gerard didn't get that much," she enunciated at she poked him in the chest on each syllable.

"I'm also the only person who's ever gotten to touch you like this too..."

There was an awkward pause between the two of them and Gray realized what he had just unintentionally said.

Turning his back to Erza so as for her to wash it he broke the awkward pause, "I mean this is the only place where you don't keep any armour of any sort on... It's really endearing that you have faith in me like that."

Erza, glad that Gray was facing away from her due to her huge blush, answered, "Well _both_ you and Natsu have slept in the same bed as me before, so don't feel _that_ special on the armour-less topic."

"Yeah but when you go to sleep you always have that dagger strapped around your left thigh, even when Natsu and I are there. This is the only time you're completely off guard... Well you're never off guard completely because you can ex-quip whenever you feel like it but... what I mean to say is... what I mean is that... it's the only time when you are completely naked, just _yourself_ and nothing _more_," he finished slowly, feeling butterflies in his stomach as he himself took in what he'd just expressed to Erza, the woman he's loved since before he knew he knew what love was.

You honestly had to love someone to willingly go to them and have your ass handed to you every day only to give your support and more, yourself, to that exact same person in the only moment of weakness you've ever caught them in, or will ever catch them in again.

That's what Gray had done with Erza when he found her by that river bank the one fateful day. Little did he know that this was the reason Erza would only ever be bare to the world when he was around. Even Gerard, though she held him dear, didn't have that kind of presence in her heart.

Erza leaned her head into the middle of Gray's back and wrapped her arms around his waist as she hugged him from behind, surprising him for what must have been the fifth time that day, and what must have been... well he'd lost count of the number of times throughout the history of their friendship.

"I didn't know you knew about the dagger."

"I do."

"It's cause I always faced you when the three of us used to sleep together."

"Keke that sounds so dirty."

"_Gray_, don't ruin the moment. I'll kick your ass."

"Please don't. I hate getting beat up when I have no clothes on."

"Which happens outside of the shower more often than not," laughed Erza as Gray turned around in her arms, but not before making a little space so as to not have their privates make contact. He wasn't sure as to how close Erza wanted to get.

"Why?" asked Gray without any warning.

"Huh, because you can never keep you rags on. That's half the reason I beat you up, I'm trying to beat the habit out of you. The other times it's because you and Natsu can't keep out of a fight for longer than two damned minutes" responded a confused Erza.

"Why today, after so long?"

Erza looked away and down to the floor while slightly biting her lower lip, understanding that Gray was asking why she'd asked him to shower with her, "you wouldn't believe me..."

Gray tilted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes, the serious expression he wore at the time she tried to forcibly remove him from Garuna Island was plastered on his face, "_try me_."

"I... I..."

"Erza... like _you_ said, _it's me here_," finished Gray in his most tender voice.

"I missed the feeling of being naked... b-being _bare_ I mean. And I-you... like _you said_," exclaimed Erza, a little frustrated at her inability to completely express what she was feeling, "like you said... I'm only comfortable like this when _you're_ around."

Gray didn't appear amused.

"I-if that isn't a good enough reason. I'm sorry Gray, I never wanted you to feel uncomf-"

"Why didn't you come to me sooner Erza?" he asked with no malice, but rather from concern.

Erza sighed with relief, '_he isn't angry with me,'_ I don't know... I just didn't think it was appropriate. I didn't think you would be comfortable but would rather come out of the fear of getting hurt by me."

"Erza... you're talking to the guy who can't keep his clothes on for more than six minutes."

"Your record's actually _five minutes and forty seconds_ before you remove a single article of clothing. Cana and I have been timing you for years."

"_Wow_. That bad huh?"

"It's OK, you used to be at three minutes. At this rate, by the time you're sixty-five you should be a normal person!" joked Erza with glee.

That was another bare part of Erza that Gray saw when she was naked. A softer side that was hidden to the world, she had a few Lucy-like characteristics in this state.

At that minute Gray smiled one of his more genuine smiles and Erza leaned her forehead on his due to it.

"W-what?" chuckled Gray, caught unawares by her joyful expression as well as her decision to decrease the distance of their proximity.

"You know... you're really handsome when you smile and _mean it_. It's way better than those half-assed smirks. They make me want to punch you."

This time Gray got a little bolder and placed his hands on her hips. Erza visibly tensed, but Gray slowly rubbed them up and down her sides.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I won't do it again Erz-"

Gray's apology halted as Erza fully pressed herself up against Gray and hid her face in the crook of his neck, "it's OK Gray, I told you I trust you. You're –_you'reallowedtotouch_," she finished too nervously and quickly for him to hear out.

"Sorry Erza, can you say that again? I thought I heard you... but I really don't want to make the mistake in case I misheard what I _thought_ you said."

Erza breathed in long and slow, and then tilted Gray's face down towards her own so that she could stare into his eyes. They were only centimetres apart and before Erza decided to shut her eyes and close the gap, she repeated herself in a whisper that she knew Gray and only Gray would be able to hear, "I said, _you're allowed to touch_," and on that note, she _rocked his world_.

After they broke apart they both opened their eyes slowly to see the other's.

"_Gray."_

"_Erza."_

And the kissing started again, but it was still slow and innocent with just the right amount of tongue.

After they broke apart the second time, both felt a lot more comfortable.

"Gray," spoke Erza absentmindedly as he was rubbing up and down her forearms, "I wanted to ask you something else."

"Shoot."

"Well remember how... before Lucy came, we'd all practically live at my place?"

"Mhm," he responded as he continued his caresses, but now to her shoulders and back as he hugged her and kept his chin atop her head.

"Well... now that Natsu's always at Lucy's-"

"He practically lives there-"

"_Exactly._ I was... wondering... maybe. _Argh!_ Never mind."

"_Erza..._"

"No Gray. It's too soon I just got too excited. _Forget it._"

He raised her chin towards his face _again_ for what must have been the sixth time that day but didn't even say anything to her. He just gave her the '_spit it out_' look.

Erza was reluctant but then caved, "if you say no... I understand-"

"Erza, _seriousl_-"

"Do you want to come live with me?"

"_Wha-?"_

"_See! I told you it was-"_

"_Yes._ I do."

Erza just looked at Gray wide eyed, "really?"

"I'd love to. One condition though, OK?"

"Hmm?" replied Erza, overjoyed as she laid her head on Gray's chest and swayed with him from left to right as they stood together, dripping in water.

"No fighting at home K? Past a certain hour at least... There'll be a lot of times when you'll feel the need to crush me like a bug for something stupid that I'll _inevitably_ do. Can you just wait till the next morning, or when we aren't home?"

Erza chuckled, "_no promises_."

Gray laughed, it was Erza after all, "OK, well I'm still on board. But at least let me have this one other condition?"

"Shoot."

"Share your bed with me... and no dagger, cool?"

"_That _I can work with," Erza finished with a smile.

...

Happy New Years everyone. Even though it wasn't the theme for the story haha.


End file.
